Time Enough
by Jay Dot Dee
Summary: A romance between two ensigns makes Janeway wonder if she might be missing something. This story has been knocking about in my head for a long time so I thought I'd try fan fiction. This is the first of what would be several parts. I chose the M rating more for some thematic issues than sex. The J/7 relationship will be ancillary. Standard not my universe disclaimer applies.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: While a fan of Voyager, I've not seen it recently and memory does fade. (Faster all the time it seems!) Anyway, if something with the canon characters seems off, I'd appreciate the feedback. For that matter, I'd appreciate any feedback! I'm working on the next chapter but won't have it ready for bit due to the pesky demands on my time from my job and family. Anyway, thank you for reading my story. I hope you're finding it enjoyable!**

* * *

**Time Enough  
**

"Sector 135-7A complete, Ma'am."

"Thank you, Ensign Cavanaugh," Seven of Nine replied, pleased with the Ensign's efficiency. Seven decided to reward the Ensign with a compliment. "Your work is of satisfactory efficiency and quality," she declared. She had not taken her eyes from her screens.

Cavanaugh had worked with Seven long enough to recognize the remark for praise. "Thank you, Ma'am." She too kept her eyes on her readouts. She busied herself with the next sector's scans.

Seven approved of Cavanaugh. The woman did her work competently and with a refreshing lack of extraneous conversation. She had selected Cavanaugh for assignment to Astrometrics from the pool of officers with specialties unsuited to their current situation. Cavanaugh was an artist who had joined Starfleet to study ancient alien art. Her original orders had her leaving the ship at a scheduled refueling on Seneca-5 to join the expedition there. The find of art from the now-extinct species that once lived there was said to be the most significant find of the century. Seven had no opinion on the artwork nor, since they had never been assimilated, the native species. While she lacked a background in astrophysics, Seven found Cavanaugh to be more than capable of performing the necessary tasks for her duties in Astrometrics.

Seven considered. She had of course read Cavanaugh's file. Apparently, Cavanaugh had been assigned to quarters with a botanist who died on a mission just over two months before she had arrived on Voyager. Perhaps this accounted for the aura of melancholy that seemed to surround Cavanaugh. Still, it did not impair her attention to her duties. If Cavanaugh had a fault, it was her tendency to skirt regulations on appearance. She did not keep her uniform pressed to a razor crease and she bound her long hair in a haphazard ponytail and only while on duty. At all other times, her hair was loose, falling over her face like a blonde shroud. Seven gave herself a mental kick. She had been watching too many old holos with The Doctor of late. She was sounding as melodramatic as the over-wrought actresses.

"Seven," Captain Janeway's voice squawked through intercom, "we're getting some odd readings off the starboard side. Please align your sensors there, from the hull and out for ten thousand kilometers."

"Yes, Captain," Seven acknowledged. She heard Cavanaugh working feverishly. The Ensign hit a last button, saving the position of their current scan so that returning to it would faster. Seven saw her lift her hands and took her cue to move the sensors. "Feeding data to you now, Captain," Seven reported. She smiled slightly at their mutual efficiency.

* * *

Janeway turned to Harry Kim. "So what is it, Harry?"

Harry shook his head. "Not sure yet, Ma'am. It's very faint, like a ghost. Whatever it is, it's hugging our side." Janeway ordered a series of course corrections. "No effect," Harry reported. He chewed his lip in frustration. "It's like it's out of phase," he muttered. He fiddled with the sensors. "Captain, I'm detecting chronotons. I think the anomaly is a temporal distortion."

"Terrific," Janeway grumbled. "A temporal distortion and it's stuck to us like glue. Tell me something good, Harry."

"Wish I could, Ma'am. Whatever it is, it's moving into phase with us. It will be 'here and now' in just over three minutes."

"Of course it will," Janeway sighed. She had been planning on a long, hot bath and a quiet evening reading. "Let's get the deflectors and weapons systems online and targeted. Tom, prepare for evasive maneuvers." She patched in the department heads and gave them a brief update.

"Almost," Harry said as the countdown neared zero. "Got it!" He did a double-take at the readout. "Ma'am? It's sending a Federation signal. It's.. Ma'am, it's The VS-4."

"Voyager Shuttle 4?" Janeway said incredulously. "That ship was lost over two years ago. Life signs?" Harry reported five. "That would be all of them. If it's them," she amended. "Hail them."

* * *

"Ensign, return to mapping," Seven ordered. "The anomaly has been resolved." Cavanaugh was busily setting the sensors. "It appears to be a shuttlecraft, designation VS-4." She turned when she heard Cavanaugh stumble against the console. "Ensign, are you in distress? You are disturbingly pale."

"Are they.. are there survivors?" Cavanaugh choked out.

Seven frowned slightly. Cavanaugh was uncharacteristically distressed. "The report confirms five life signs." Something occurred to Seven, a mention in her file. Yes, that was it, the botanist had been on VS-4. She sighed inwardly. Clearly Cavanaugh would be of no further use today. She resigned herself to the realization that her favorite Ensign was not so efficient after all. "You are dismissed, Ensign." She recalled her lessons with The Doctor. "I hope your friend is undamaged." He would be proud of her.

"Thank you, Ma'am," Cavanaugh mumbled as she all but sprinted out the door.

* * *

Janice Cavanaugh concentrated on not hyperventilating as she rode the lift. It couldn't be. It had been so long. The lift door opened and she rushed to the shuttle bay. A line of security officers brought her up short. The shuttle had docked and was being secured. She felt light-headed. It occurred to her breathing might help with that. The doors opened and Lieutenant Wilson walked out. His beard was scraggly and his uniform unkempt. He seemed too thin. He was followed out by two crewman who held a third between them. Behind them was Mio.

Janice had no memory of moving to the wall. A security officer was staring at her, asking her if she was okay. Janice nodded. "Where are they being taken?" She already knew the answer and felt foolish for asking. Sickbay, of course. "When.."

The guard smiled sympathetically. A close friend back from the dead. It was more than enough to shake a person up. "I think they'll have to be checked out and debriefed first," he said, not unkindly. "You should try to rest. I'm sure the Captain will make notifications."

She would. Janeway had approved the move to couples quarters over Chakotay's objections and later had given her condolences personally. She nodded to the guard. "Yes, of course. Thank you."

Janice let her feet take her where they would. She could not bear being alone in her quarters and she would be worthless in Astrometrics. She found that in her own way, Seven of Nine was a very tolerant superior but not when it came to job performance. She wound up in the cafeteria.

* * *

Neelix noticed Ensign Cavanaugh standing just inside the area looking lost. Neelix tried to get to know the crew but there were so many and the Ensign was not outgoing. In fact, she rarely took meals in the cafeteria. He recalled a small kerfuffle a long time ago over quartering. The Ensign, Janice, that was her name, she wanted to move into married crew quarters. Chakotay had objected but ultimately, Janeway approved the request. Janice had moved back to single quarters not long after.

Neelix slapped his head. Now he remembered. Janice was living with Mio, the botanist who had been trying to cultivate Talaxian tea for him. Mio had been on the shuttle that disappeared in a flash of light a couple of years ago. And had mysteriously reappeared just today. The grapevine said the crew was alive and currently in sickbay. They would be hungry. He scanned the kitchen, planning a suitable meal. He recalled the hopelessness as a month passed with no sign. They only had provisions for about a week and there were no habitable planets within range. The Captain had reluctantly abandoned the search and turned for home. No wonder Janice looked as if she'd seen a ghost.

"Have a seat, Janice," Neelix said gently. "Here's some tea." He guided her to a table and set a mug in front of her. "Be patient. I'm sure the Captain will call after The Doctor checks them over."

Janice smiled faintly. "Thank you. It all seems so unreal." She took a sip of tea. She didn't really want it, but Neelix was being so kind.

"I can only imagine," he replied. "I've got a pot of soup working. I think I'll have some sent to sickbay. A nice bowl of soup is just the right medicine after an ordeal, don't you think?" He patted Janice on the shoulder. "Just sit here for now. It's a lot to take in and a lot to think about." He hurried off to ready the food. Runor had it the survivors looked half-starved and he had just the cure simmering away.

* * *

"You all need a Vitamin supplement," The Doctor declared. He pressed a hypospray against each of them. "And food. Start slowly and eat a lot of small meals at first. Drink a lot of water and avoid synthahol. Other than that, you're all in good shape. Except for Crewman Nels," The Doctor said, with a pointed look at Nels' bruised and swollen face. "Your nose is broken. I'll have to re-break it and set it properly."

"I'd be happy to break it again," Lieutenant Wilson growled.

"Lieutenant," Janeway admonished with a growl. Wilson desisted.

"I want to press charges against him," Nels snarled. He attacked me. All of them, they locked me in a storage compartment and didn't give me any food."

"None of us had food," Wilson shouted.

"Stand down!" Janeway barked. She had heard bits and pieces of the story and honestly didn't blame Wilson, but she could not have this. "I want a detailed report from each of you. And I don't want anything discussed with anyone until I've read your report and debriefed you myself. Are we clear?" The shuttle crew nodded. "Until then, finish your soup and report to.." Janeway stopped herself. Their quarters weren't theirs any longer. "Belay that. Stay here."

Mio sighed. She wanted to take a shower and lay down in the comfort of Janice's arms. She swore she had caught a glimpse of Janice as she got off the shuttle but she must have been mistaken. The woman she saw had long hair. She must want to see her so much that her mind saw her everywhere. She took the PADD offered to her. The sooner she finished he report, the sooner she could get to her quarters. It had been a long two weeks.

* * *

Two hours later Janeway returned to sickbay. The shuttle crew had sent in their reports and was eating another small meal sent by Neelix. "First off, I'm glad to have you all back. I'd like to send you to your quarters to rest, but I can't. There's no good way to say this. You were trapped in a temporal anomaly that was undetectable to us until today when you reappeared. We left the area were you disappeared after searching for a month, never knowing you were right beside us."

Mio's eyes widened. The hair. "How long?" she croaked.

"A little over two years," Janeway said quietly. Mio closed her eyes. The long-haired woman had been Janice after all. She wondered what else had changed. "We've prepared quarters for each of you. You are on leave for the next week, after which we will assign you to your duty stations. Until then, rest, regain your strength, and, well, catch up." She turned to Nels. "Crewman, you are confined to quarters until further notice. Dismissed." She ignored Nels' protest.

* * *

Janice fidgeted. She wanted to leave but had no idea where to go. Mio wouldn't know where her quarters were. She ached to just stand outside of sickbay but Neelix had dissuaded her. "I sent a message to The Doctor. She'll expect you here." Janice had forced back tears at his thoughtfulness. She closed her eyes and thought back.

* * *

"Jan, come on," Carol wheedled. "You broke up with Holly weeks ago. You'll like Mio. She's sweet and funny and, best of all, she's not a super-controlling bitch!" Janice laughed in spite of herself. "It's just dinner. John and I went to a lot of trouble setting this up, and Mio's already said yes."

"After you browbeat her into submission." Janice grimaced. "Fine. Just dinner. After all, how uncomfortable can a double date be?"

"Hmm, well, you see.."

"You suck, Carol." Janice nonetheless arrived at the hydroponics bay as Carol had arranged. She carried the basket Carol had prepared and felt like an idiot. She took a breath and went inside.

Ensign Mio Sato smiled. Janice was cute, just as John had said. She agreed to the date after John swore his finance would skewer him if he failed in Operation Blind Date. Besides, it was just dinner. "Hi. You must be Janice. I'm Mio. Come on in. I set up a table in the ornamentals area." She'd fought hard to keep the non-edible plants and she felt a surge of pride in being able to show them off to her date.

Janice found herself immediately drawn to Mio's smile. She trailed behind her and admired the view. Mio had short, black hair and dark eyes with porcelain skin. Janice's blonde hair was similarly short, going with the current no-muss, no-fuss trend on the ship. Her eyes were green and her skinned tanned from a childhood spent out of doors.

The two women ate the meal Carol had designed, laughing over the blatant choices of oysters and chocolate. As they got to know one another, Janice conceded that she owed Carol big time. This was working out well.

Very well. The remains of the picnic had been put away and the table and chairs returned to a storage compartment. They stood facing each other, each unsure how to proceed when Mio huffed and said, "This is just silly." With that, she took a step in and kissed Janice decisively. Janice was startled but it was quite a kiss. She returned it and before they knew it, they were entwined in an increasingly heated embrace. Her hands had just found the way under Mio's shirt when a comm badge beeped.

"Sato," Mio responded, her voice husky.

"Next shift arrives in five," John's voice replied. "Thought you might want to know." Mio could hear the knowing smile in his voice.

"Thanks, John." Mio tapped her comm badge off. "I'm afraid we're about to have company," she said apologetically. "If you'd like, we could go somewhere else and talk some more." She sounded like a damned teenager.

Janice grinned. "That sounds nice." They decided on Janice's quarters because hers were closer. Any worry that the interruption would dim their passion were quickly put to rest. As she drifted off to sleep entwined with Mio, she had the thought that they fit together well.

* * *

Janice opened her eyes to see Mio's sleeping face. "I can't believe I slept with her on the first date," she thought with a grimace. It just wasn't like her. And worse, she really liked Mio. "I hope I didn't screw this up," she thought. She carefully slipped out of bed and pulled on a robe. "My God, she's beautiful."

Janice quietly set to readying tea. She glanced back and saw Mio sitting up watching her. "Hi," Janice said nervously. "Want some tea?"

"I'd kill for some coffee," Mio replied. Janice programmed the replicator and mentally kicked herself. "Let me get you something to wear," She had a nightshirt that should fit the slightly smaller woman just fine. She handed it to Mio and self-consciously turned away to fetch their steaming mugs. She was fairly certain she heard Mio snickering.

Mio Looked adorable in the nightshirt. She took her coffee and sipped it. "Thanks, Jan. For everything." It was decidedly awkward.

Janice jumped when her comm badge buzzed. It was Carol on the other end. "So how did it go?" Janice was still fumbling for an answer when Mio's badge went off. "Busted!" Carol yelled delightedly.

Janice dimly heard John saying something about it all being Carol's idea. "You suck, Carol," Janice said and disconnected. She saw that Mio had as well. They stared at each other for a moment then burst out laughing.

Janice smiled to herself. That morning went from awkward to something of a disaster. Their desires got the best of them and they ended up being interrupted by John calling to ask Mio if she intended on reporting for her duty shift any time soon. Janice was late and had her ass chewed when she came running in. Still, it was worth it. They'd resolved to see each other only when the next day was an off or late shift, a resolve that lasted all of one duty cycle.

* * *

Janeway walked into the cafeteria and saw Ensign Cavanaugh nursing a cup of tea. "Ensign, please come with me." Janeway put a hand on Cavanaugh's shoulder. "I'm taking you to see Ensign Sato," she said gently. "There are a few things we need to discuss." She put a hand on Cavanaugh's shoulder and guided her to her office. Janeway was relieved that Cavanaugh was too shell-shocked to ask any questions.

Janeway took pains to keep her temper in check. She was a little ashamed of herself for wishing the crew had turned out to be some sort of deception. The Doctor's scans had proven that wasn't the case. They also proved that the crew had aged only two weeks relatively to Voyager's two years.

Janeway still wasn't sure how, but the shuttle had hit a temporal distortion that effectively glued them to the side of Voyager. The shuttle could see Voyager but their propulsion systems were out and they barely coaxed enough power for life support out of the engines. They had emergency supplies for a week but, thanks to Lieutenant Wilson's foresight, they went into rationing immediately. They had gone without food for only a couple of days.

The door to her office slid open. Janeway steeled herself for the unpleasantness to come. She hated to do it, but she had to get in front of the matter. Lieutenant Wilson's outburst in sickbay could not be a harbinger of things to come.

* * *

Mio stood as the door opened. She smiled tremulously at Janice. She looked so different. Her hair was midway down her back. She looked faded. "Jan," she said, then again just because it sounded so real. Janice took a few steps and stopped. She looked dazed. "Well, this is just silly," Mio said. She closed the distance and enveloped Janice in a hug. She felt Janice hesitate then grab on for dear life. Mio stroked her hair and murmured soothing endearments while Janice's body was wracked with sobs. Mio forced herself not to react to the odd feel of long hair.

"Honey, it's okay," she pleaded. Mio was afraid Janice was going to pass out. Her eyes sought out Janeway. With the Captain's help, they got her seated on the small couch and a glass of water in her hand. "Jan, the Captain told me how long it's been. I understand how hard this is. We'll take things slowly, okay?"

Once Janice had regained her composure, Mio cleared her throat nervously and said, "Jan, there was an incident on the shuttle. Nels, he got a little crazy." She shivered slightly. She'd had a shower not long ago but suddenly wanted another. "He, well, he locked the two of us in the storage compartment and attacked me. Wilson heard me banging and managed to force the door open before he could do too much." He'd done quite a lot, but Janice didn't need to hear about it. Thankfully he had been stopped before he could penetrate her with anything more than his fingers.

Mio hurried on to avoid any questions. "It happened but it's over. It's over," she repeated forcefully. If she said it enough times, it would be true. "We don't have the resources to keep him locked up. The Captain has promised that Nels will have to keep his comm badge on at all times and that an alarm will go off if he gets anywhere near me. I'm okay with this, and I need for you to be okay too."

Janice looked as if she were trying to remember how to speak. "He won't bother you, either." Mio hesitated. "I mean, if you still want to be with me. I know it's been a long time, Jan. I know you thought I was dead. I promise, I won't be mad." No, she'd be heartbroken. Shattered. Utterly destroyed.

Janice gave her a weak smile. "Now, that's just silly." Mio pulled her into another hug. She found herself the one crying this time. "I'm so sorry he tried to hurt you. We'll make sure he never does it again." Janice looked over at Janeway. "This won't ever happen again." Janeway nodded slightly.

Mio had to assure Janice a few more times that she was in fact okay. Janeway knew Mio was minimizing. She'd seen The Doctor's report. The bruises were gone now thanks to modern medicine but they had been extensive and disturbing. She wondered if she would protect a lover from the ugly truth as Mio was doing.

Janeway smiled. A happy reunion, despite everything. "Thank you, ladies. I expect both of you to turn around and walk away if you see Crewman Nels. I promise his duty schedule will keep him far from you." She had told Chakotay to put him on graveyard doing maintenance in waste processing. It wasn't the punishment he deserved but it would have to do. "Ensign Cavanaugh, I've spoken with Seven and arranged for you to have a couple of days off. If you two wish to make another request for larger quarters in the future, let me know and I'll do what I can."

Mio nodded. "Thank you, ma'am." Dismissed, she walked with Janice. "I was assigned new quarters. They put some uniforms and some generic clothes in there for me. It's weird. It's like being in a stranger's quarters." Mio knew she was babbling but couldn't stop.

Janeway's smile vanished as her door closed. She would have a talk with Tuvok. It wouldn't hurt to have a security officer conveniently around when Nels returned to duty, at least for a while. She hoped the women would pick up where they'd left off. It made her feel good to see a happy couple. She felt a stab of loneliness. "It's just a part of the job," she told herself. As if this mission were ordinary. Still, the alternative she thought she might want simply was not available.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I apologize for the long delay in getting the second chapter posted. I appreciate any constructive feedback. I'm not a rabid Voyager fan so please forgive me if I accidentally used a name of an existing character. I had to go to the Memory Alpha website to figure out the name of the "pleasure planet" from a TNG episode I vaguely recall. I'm not a Chakotay fan but I promise he isn't a bad guy in this story. Janeway and Seven are not the main characters although they do play important roles. I'm telling the story in the "present" time and in flashbacks that move forward in time from the initial meeting of the Mio and Jan characters. I hope the time-jumping does not become confusing. **

* * *

**Time Enough Chapter 2**

Janice and Mio wandered aimlessly through the ship. Arriving at either of their quarters would just make everything real. Eventually, they ended up at the hydroponics bay. "Wow," Mio said as she took in the ornamentals section. "It's really grown!" She moved through a bit then stopped suddenly at a plaque.

"I'm sure they'll take care of that," Janice said softly.

Mio turned to her, pale and shaking. "A memorial? I.. This just can't be real. It was two weeks! We were right beside you the whole time!"

"Believe me, I understand," Janice said. "I was at your funeral, after all. I thought that seemed unreal. This, this I'm honestly not sure about. I'm too stunned to think." She hurried to add, "But I know I'm happy you're back. I dreamed of it but never imagined.. God, please tell me I'm not dreaming!"

Mio hugged Janice. "Maybe we both are." After a moment she said, "Lets get out of here. So tell me what you've been doing the last two years." Mio tried to keep the tension from her voice. Two years was a long time.

"I work in Astrometrics now, Janice said as the continued their stroll. "I guess it's better than the maintenance crews they had me on. Seven is a decent boss once you get used to her." She saw the confusion on Mio's face. "Seven of Nine is a Borg, well, former Borg. The Captain got her separated from the Borg hive and now she runs Astrometrics. Captain Janeway trusts her," Janice assured Mio. "I'm sure you'll see her around. She's not awful but she's not really skilled at the social graces so don't take it personally if she says something kind of off." It was more of a guarantee. It had taken her awhile to get used to Seven's mannerisms.

"A Borg," Mio said with a shake of her head. "But you know that I'm not asking about you boss, Jan. What about us?"

"I'm not with anyone," Janice said quietly. "Let's leave it at that for now." She wasn't looking forward to discussing the last two years. "Do you want some coffee? Something to eat? Neelix will about pass out from joy if he sees you eat his cooking," she joked.

Mio nodded. She wasn't a fool. But as hard as this was on her, to imagine thinking Jan dead for so long.. she told herself she should be thankful for anything she got from Jan and not judge her. She would tell herself that as many times as it took.

* * *

"Ensign Sato! It's wonderful to see you," Neelix enthused. He led the two to a table. "And you, Ensign Cavanaugh. Would you two like something to eat? I've been working on my pizza recipe. Mr. Paris has told me it is as good as any Midwest pizza," he boasted.

Janice forced a smile. "Thank you, that would be nice. It's not, uhm, got anything still moving on it?"

"Oh, no," Neelix assured her. "Not even Lieutenant Torres enjoyed my Klingon pizza I'm sad to say. I'm still very confused by these fusion cuisines."

"I'd love a cup of coffee," Mio said, anxious to change the topic. Her stomach was still a bit delicate. "Perhaps I could have some more of that soup instead of pizza." She saw Janice smile slightly. Mio did not have a particularly adventurous palate, something that proved a bit inconvenient when it came to Neelix's cooking.

"Of course," Neelix said and hurried off with a wide smile. It was so nice to see something set right. Not all of the VS-4 crew had such a happy reunion. Ensign Hines had no doubt learned that her fiancé had married about six months ago and that his new wife was pregnant. Crewman Nels had apparently lost control while on the mission and was confined to quarters. Neelix was a bit surprised the details of his behavior were not yet common knowledge. He was a bit curious, he had to admit. Well, gossip traveled at Warp 11. He'd hear the details soon enough. Crewman Thompson and Lieutenant Wilson were both unattached so at least they did not have to rebuild a relationship or move on from one that no longer existed. He reflected that in a very real way, the VS-4 were still living in a different time stream.

* * *

Mio ran yet another simulation. She would find a way to cultivate those hybrid tea leaves if it was the last thing she did. She had convinced Neelix to advocate for the project but she wasn't doing it for his cafeteria. She wanted Jan to have a cup of real tea, not replicated flavored water.

Mio smiled to herself. She had vowed never to get involved with another crew member. Of course, things were different now that they were in the Delta Quadrant. While she found being alone peaceful, it could also be lonely. She was contemplating asking Jan to move into couple's quarters.

It was a big step but one she was ready to take. She found herself resenting those days she woke up alone. She _thought_ Jan would want to live together but since they'd never discussed it, she couldn't be sure. She made another adjustment and checked the results. It might work. Living things did not always work the way the simulations said they should. Still, the probability of success was high. She got to work readying a sample. She'd try growing a few and see.

* * *

"What do you mean it was denied?" Mio was furious. "I know for a fact there are couple's quarters available. He can't just deny our request for no reason!"

"Well, yes, it seems he can," Janice said. She threw the PADD on the bed and swore. "I'd heard he's a Traditionalist but I always figured he'd keep his views separate from his job."

"We'll appeal to the Captain." Mio waved off Janice's protest. "I'm going to do it. We're tripping over ourselves. And dammit, I'm tired of one of us always having to run off to change uniforms and I'm tired of these tiny beds. Mostly the tiny beds," she admitted.

Janice laughed. "Fair enough. We'll send her a request, but not until you calm down. I'll make you a cup of coffee."

* * *

Janeway rubbed her temples. She had approved recycling of any possessions of the VS-4 crew not claimed by their loved ones after the search had been called off. Wilson and Thomas hadn't had anything claimed so they had nothing of their lives left. Hines was livid that her ex-fiancé had given her jewelry to his new wife and he felt he should not have to return it. Janeway decided he could keep the engagement ring since after all they were no longer engaged, but the necklace he'd given Hines as a gift, that was going back, as was everything else. She deserved to have those memories to hold onto, even if they were bitter ones. At least Cavanaugh had kept most of Sato's possessions.

"I hope those two will be okay," Janeway muttered aloud. "Be nice if this wasn't a complete clusterfuck." She recalled the meeting she'd had with the two women so long ago. Chakotay had denied their request to share quarters. He claimed he wanted to hold the larger quarters for couples with children but the women thought it was due to his Traditionalist views. Frankly, Janeway agreed with the women. She had sent them off with a promise to look into the matter. She could not undercut Chakotay's authority by granting their request then and there.

Janeway did not have fond memories of her conversation with Chakotay. He refused to admit his Traditionalist views were driving his decision. Finally she got him to agree to granting the request under the condition that childless couples would have to give up their quarters to crew with children if there was a need. Well, he agreed once she rephrased it as an order. Thankfully, Chakotay had become a bit more open-minded over the course of their journey.

* * *

Mio frowned at the print Janice was holding against the wall. "It's kind of creepy," she said. Kind of creepy like space was kind of large.

"You really think so? The discordant elements do draw the eye," Janice mused. "Of course, this print can't do it justice. The actual _alto-rilievo_ is simply stunning. And way creepier." She sighed and said, "How about we find a place for it in the closet?" It wasn't that Mio didn't appreciate art. She did, so long as it was pretty art. Janice knew most people felt the same way. Her own tastes made her the odd one, not Mio.

"Well," Mio hedged, "if you really like it, I could get used to it."

"No, sweetheart, this is our home so we'll make it right for both of us. Besides," Janice said with a grin, "I haven't told you yet how much I detest the smell of those awful purple flowers."

They continued to put away their belongings and decorate their new quarters with a minimum of bloodshed. The move had come on a day they were both off duty but tomorrow, that was another issue. Mio had her usual shift but Janice had been transferred to a crew doing routine maintenance in the Jeffries tubes. It was of course in the middle of the ship's "night." They figured it was a housewarming present from Chakotay.

Janice sprawled out on the bed and held a hand out to Mio. "This is wonderful. I don't care if I'm assigned to cleaning the waste treatment tanks so long as I get to come home to you."

Mio flopped down beside her. "I'd just as soon you stay in the Jeffries tubes. They smell much better." She rolled on top of Janice. "I'm glad we did this," she whispered then kissed Jan. The larger bed was really nice.

* * *

The two women ended up at Janice's quarters. Mio saw several of her own nick-knacks scattered around. The walls held prints of space with various overlays and color shifts and filters. "These are pretty," she commented.

"Thanks. Seven lets me use the equipment in Astrometrics to create pictures when we're not busy." It had become a hobby for her. Most of her creations she gave away if only because she had limited wall space. "Want some coffee?"

"No, thanks," Mio said. "I hadn't had any in a couple of weeks so my tolerance isn't what it used to be." She sat down on the edge of the bed, the only place they could sit next to each other. Jan took the hint but not without some obvious hesitation. They sat next to each other in awkward silence.

"Jan, are you going to tell me what's going on?" After another moment of silence Mio stood. "You need some time. I mean, you thought I was dead and now I'm standing here. I'm going to my quarters. Can we talk tomorrow? At lunch, maybe?" She ran her hand lightly across Janice's cheek. "I love you."

Janice felt tears welling up. "I love you too," she managed. Her voice was not cooperating. Her entire body was not cooperating. "I'm not very proud of some of the things I did while you were.. gone," she confessed.

Mio felt the words like a physical blow. She had expected Jan to have had relationships. She couldn't expect her to remain faithful to a dead person, after all. Still, it hurt. "You thought was dead." She sighed. "Look, I don't like the idea of you with someone else but how can I be mad that you moved on with your life?" She was in fact mad, but she knew she had no right to be. "Let's just say the last two years were like a trip to Risa."

Janice managed a smile. "I wish it would stay on Risa." She stood and wrapped her arms around Mio. "I love you," she whispered. Mio felt the wetness of tears on her neck. "I want things to be like they were before. It's just.. it doesn't feel real yet. I'm numb and I don't want to feel that way with you. Does that make any sense at all?"

"It does." Mil gently stroked Jan's hair. "So is lunch good?" Truth be told, Mio wasn't sure she was ready for someone to be touching her intimately right now. She was still having flashbacks to Nels' assault. Knowing that he was merely confined to quarters did nothing to alleviate her anxiety. Jan nodded. "Good. I'll see you for lunch. To be honest, I'm exhausted and just want to get some sleep."

"You could sleep here," Janice said quietly. "I know my pajamas will fit you well enough," she said with a shaky smile. Mio returned the smile.

They changed and lay down. After some uncertainty they moved into a comfortable, familiar cuddle and fell quickly asleep.

* * *

Seven of Nine walked into Janeway's office. "Captain, Ensign Roberts is not an acceptable substitute. When will Ensign Cavanaugh return to duty?"

Janeway raised an eyebrow. "I thought we agreed to give her some time with Ensign Sato. Having a lover come back from the dead is fairly traumatic," she said dryly.

Seven frowned. "Ensign Sato never died so she did not come back from death, just from a temporal anomaly." She considered. "The return of VS-4 has decreased Ensign Cavanaugh's efficiency. Nonetheless, even impaired by emotions I believe she will be far more efficient and competent than Ensign Roberts."

"Give her another day," Janeway said.

Seven recognized the tone. She considered what tasks she could entrust to Ensign Roberts for one more duty shift. "Very well. I do not understand why the return of a lover is traumatic. I thought it would be a pleasant revelation."

"It's complicated," Janeway said with a sigh. "People change. I hope they're able to continue their friendship. They seemed very happy before the VS-4 disappeared."

"I am not certain Ensign Cavanaugh's efficiency would benefit from being happy," Seven groused.

"Oh, you might be surprised," Janeway said with a smirk. She waited for Seven to leave then dropped her head into her hands. "Stop it," she muttered to herself. "Don't even think about it." She looked back at the door with a stab of longing. "Damn it."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I appreciate the feedback and would love to what you think about the story so far. I'm not sure just how many more chapters I'll need but it'll be at least two. Please be kind with regard to matters of ST:V canon. If there's anything in here that seems hard to understand or just plain weird, I'd appreciate knowing about it!**

* * *

**Time Enough Chapter 3**

Mio started awake. She felt Jan beside her and relaxed. It had all been a bad dream. She noticed a picture of a nebula as she started to drift back off. It seemed vaguely wrong. Her eyes snapped back open. Not a dream. A damned nightmare.

Janice stirred. She mumbled something then opened her eyes. She stared at Mio for a moment with a confused expression then smiled. It was a dream come true.

Relief surged through Mio. "Good morning. At least, I think it's morning." Or what passed for it on a ship. "I'm glad I stayed."

Jan stroked Mio's face. Her smile faded. "Mio, I love you. I never stopped loving you." She paused long enough to take a dep breath. "It's just, well, I've changed. Her eyes were bright with tears "I'm not the same person you fell in love with. I'm afraid that you won't love me anymore. I can't bear the thought of getting you back only to lose you again."

"I know who you are," Mio whispered. "And I love you." She propped herself up and leaned over to kiss Jan's cheek. "How about we go on a date? We can take things slow, not like our first date," she added with a grin.

Jan closed her eyes for a moment then said, "I'd like that. I need to tell you about the last two years and want to hear about your last two weeks." She saw Mio's reaction. "It must have been awful."

"Yes," Mio said flatly. "I'd rather not talk about it, but since we're having full disclosure, I'll tell you. Just not now, okay?" she pleaded. She wrapped her arms around Jan. She breathed in, immensely comforted by the familiar feel and scent. "I like your hair long," she murmured as she stroked it.

They lay each other's arms for a time before Mio reluctantly got up. "I need to get showered and into a fresh uniform. The Doctor wants to see me for a follow up. Can we have dinner together? We can talk about, well, things."

* * *

Seven of Nine heard the door slide open. She saw Ensign Cavanaugh's reflection in one of her screens. "You are dismissed, Ensign Roberts."

Roberts stepped around Janice. "About time," he muttered under his breath. Janice repressed a smirk. Seven's personality was an acquired taste.

"Ma'am," Janice said, "Reporting for duty." Seven nodded and Janice went to her station. They worked with a minimum of conversation for a while. Janice was grateful to be busy and not sitting in her quarters brooding over her future with Mio.

Seven was quite pleased. She had arranged the day's schedule to account for Ensign Roberts' lack of efficiency and now that Ensign Cavanaugh was there, the day's work was completed early. She considered continuing on and revising the schedules for the next few days but discarded the notion. "We have finished for the day, Ensign. You are dismissed." After a brief hesitation she said, "May I ask you some questions?"

"Of course, Ma'am." Janice was more than a little surprised but she figured Seven wanted to confirm her schedule since she was supposed to be off duty through tomorrow. She felt almost certain Seven wasn't annoyed that she had reported early.

"Your friend, Ensign Sato," Seven asked with uncharacteristic hesitation, "was your intimate companion?"

Janice's eyes went wide. She thought for a moment to just walk away. Surely this wasn't going to turn into the Traditionalist nonsense she'd endured from Chakotay. "Yes, Ma'am. Before the, uh, incident."

"The two of you are no longer intimate?" She seemed disappointed.

"No, I mean, there hasn't been time yet. It's, well, a lot has happened in the last two years"

Seven considered. "You and Ensign Sato engaged in a sexual relationship and are considering resuming that relationship, is that correct?" She took Janice's flinch as an affirmative. "I am somewhat familiar with the dynamics of sexual attraction between males and females and have assimilated information regarding the mechanics of sexual activity. I seek to compare and contrast my information on these interactions with your information on interactions between two females. Please," she added, determined to put The Doctor's lessons into practice.

Janice found herself wishing she were still asleep. As a dream this might be funny. "Wh- what specifically did you want to know, Ma'am?" she stammered. She immediately regretted the question since she felt certain whatever Seven wanted to know would be dreadfully inappropriate or embarrassing or both. Likely both.

"How do you determine which sex you will be attracted to? Or is it that you are attracted a specific person and their sex is irrelevant?"

That wasn't what she had expected. She took a deep breath and launched into a primer on human sexuality.

"Yes, but how does it feel when you are attracted to someone? How is being sexually attracted different from being attracted to someone in a non-sexual manner?" Now Seven looked a bit flustered. "I am not experienced with emotions. I have difficulty distinguishing between similar emotions."

Janice had a flash of understanding and a renewed desire to flee. Still, she knew Seven well enough to realize these were honest questions. "Have you asked whoever you might be, uh, sexually attracted to what their feelings are toward you?"

"No," Seven replied. "If I am mistaken in my feelings it could damage the relationship."

"If it's someone who knows you well then they'll understand," Janice said gently. "I think it's best to be honest and tell them you aren't sure of your own feelings."

"I will consider your advice," Seven said. "Thank you. Perhaps I will practice this on the holodeck so that I will be prepared for reciprocation or rejection. In the event I do find that I am sexually attracted to someone who is sexually attracted to me, I would like to speak with you about the mechanics of sex. I wish to be competent if called upon to utilize those skills."

Janice wanted very much to put her fingers in her ears and scream. She settled for a nod of assent then made a hasty retreat.

* * *

"Come on," Janice urged Mio. "Our time starts in just a few moments." They hurried to the holodeck. Once there, they changed into swimsuits and entered the chamber with Jan's program already running as scheduled. It was a pristine beach with a pair of lawn chairs and blankets. "Let the vacation begin," she said with a grin.

The women relaxed on their private beach. "So can we go swimming?" Mio asked. "And more importantly, are all the video feeds disabled?"

"It's part of the program," Janice assured her. "We have complete privacy. And the water's close enough to real." She brushed back her short hair. "Want to get wet?" she asked with a grin.

Mio laughed. "There already. Come on," she said, getting up and holding out a hand to Jan. They ran out into the surf and embraced in chest-deep water. After a few long, passionate kisses she said huskily, "Best one month of living together anniversary ever." She slipped a hand inside Jan's bikini bottom and kissed her deeply. "Let's hit the blankets," she whispered after she felt Jan go limp.

They shed their already skimpy suits and collapsed on the blankets. Janice noted happily that the sand was not sticking to their feet as she had designed. That would make things decidedly more comfortable. She rolled on top of Mio and kissed her. "Happy anniversary," she murmured then trailed kisses down her body.

They made love until the warning bell went off. "Last call," Janice sighed. She stroked Mio's hip. Reluctantly, they got up and put on robes. Janice grabbed the suits. She could imagine the teasing they'd get if the next users found them.

"Thank you, Jan, that was fantastic." She slipped her arm around Jan's waist. "Not that we need a holodeck for hot sex, but it sure was nice." She giggled and squeezed Jan's ass. They changed into their uniforms and terminated the program. Mio stole a quick kiss before the holodeck doors opened. "Love you."

"You too," Jan whispered. She double-checked the security on her program then released the system to the next users. "Let's get cleaned up and have dinner. I hear it's taco night." She grinned at Mio's expression. "Come on, how bad can it be?"

"Really?" Mio replied with a dramatic sigh. "If I'm down with food poisoning tonight, it's your loss."

"Replicated chicken it is," Janice said with a laugh.

* * *

"Chicken," Mio said in relief as she sat down to dinner in Jan's quarters. "Neelix is wonderful, but his cooking..."

"He's gotten a lot better," Janice said. "I think it was something about his taste buds being just different enough from ours to make things challenging. He almost never makes anything inedible now. You liked his soup, after all. But I know you like the chicken so we'll just work up to Cafe Neelix." She grinned and poured rwo glasses of synth-wine. "How'd your checkup go?"

"Clean bill of health," Mio said. "He offered counseling for us. The Timers. Apparently that's what we're being called, Timers," she said with a shake of her head. "So how was your day?"

"Incredibly uncomfortable. I reported to my duty station," she explained, "and at the end of the shift, Seven tells me she wants to know about sexual attraction between two women. I wasn't sure if I should laugh or run. In the end, I ran," she said with a chuckle.

Mio narrowed her eyes. "Your female boss was asking you about being attracted to women?"

Janice was too amused by the events, amused now that she was no longer in the situation, to miss the tone of Mio's voice. "Yes, it was the damnedest thing. She asked if we were 'intimate' and wanted to talk about the 'mechanics of sex.'" Janice snickered. "You should have been there."

"Perhaps I should have."

Janice finally recognized the danger signs flashing all around her. "Oh, no, it's not like that. I told you Seven was a Borg, right? She doesn't understand things. For her, it was a legitimate question. Honestly, I'm flattered she asked me. You shouldn't worry. Whoever it is she likes, I'm completely sure it isn't me. And besides, I sure don't feel any attraction and all toward her."

"Hmph." Mio thought Jan was telling the truth, but maybe the two years had made her able to lie convincingly. Then again, she'd heard some gossip about the former Borg and Jan's story was not out of line with what she'd heard. "Well, I hope you'll be discreet."

"Discreet hell," Janice said. "I'm going to refer her to some romance novels. No way am I talking to her about my sex life."

"Speaking of which," Mio asked with a casualness she most certainly did not feel, "how has your sex life been?"

Janice flinched. "Oh, that. Well, it was a few days after the anniversary of your funeral." She looked down at her glass. "Holly was being really nice to me. She acted differently than when we were together before, sympathetic and thoughtful and I really needed to talk about you. I don't remember ever discussing it, but she kind of moved into my quarters. I guess I was lonely. Then one day, I came back from my shift and found her boxing up your things. We had a screaming fight and I realized that no one who truly loved me would ask me to remove all traces of you. I mean, we thought you were dead. You weren't a threat to her. She hadn't changed at all. She wanted to control everything. I kicked her out and we haven't really spoken since. I heard she was seeing some guy in Environmental."

Mio struggled to keep her emotions in check. "Is that all of it?" she asked with forced lightness.

"Not exactly, Janice said, looking miserable. "A month or so after I ended it with Holly, Carol was in my quarters upset about a fight she'd had with John. He was being an ass. We were drinking and things got out of hand. Carol blamed it all on me, saying I'd taken advantage of her. She told John and I don't know if it was her sleeping with me or something else, but they separated. I haven't really seen either since. I feel stupid for getting involved again with Holly but the thing with Carol, I'm ashamed of myself over that."

"I suppose that's why John seemed so cool toward me," Mio mused. "So, you got back with an ex for a while then had a drunken one night stand with a presumably straight friend who was there to talk about her husband. Anything else?"

"Geez, Mio. No, no one for almost a year now I'm not proud of any of it. All I can say is that you were gone and I was lonely. And I didn't rape Carol. She was just as much to blame as I am. I told John it was my fault. I hoped he wouldn't be so angry about it if he could blame it all on me. Didn't work, and I'm sorry about it and wish I had acted differently. I lost a good friend. Pretty much every friend." Janice rubbed her face. "So. Can we get past this?"

"Did you love either of them?" Jan shook her head. "I know you thought I was dead," Mio said slowly. "Intellectually, I know this. Emotionally, you cheated on me while I was gone for two weeks. I know it's not fair for me to feel this way."

"Of course it is. I would."

"I think we should take The Doctor up on his offer. I really do want to get past this, Jan. I want to be with you."

"Absolutely," Janice said, "I'll do anything to get us through this. I want to be with you, too."

* * *

"Captain," Seven of Nine said, "I would like to ask you a question."

Janeway held up a hand, programmed in the last of her agenda for the senior staff meeting then looked up. "What can I do for you, Seven?"

"Do you find me sexually attractive? I would appreciate an honest response."

Janeway considered and discarded several replies. A part of her was impressed by how patient Seven was being while she stood there gaping. "Seven, I-"

The door opened and Chakotay strode in. "I hope we have good news from those probes," he said then planted himself in his preferred chair. "Is there coffee?"

Janeway blinked a few times. This was surreal. "Seven, we'll discuss your question later," she said calmly. She hit the comm. "Neelix, can you send some coffee? Thank you."

"Question?" Chakotay asked, wishing he'd mentioned cookies too.

"Later! Uh, we have a full agenda. B'Elanna, good, you're here." She rambled a bit, but even babbling was better than Seven repeating her question in front of an audience. Maybe she could formulate some sort of coherent answer during the meeting. Or at least an excuse to postpone the conversation. Neelix arrived with coffee and, to Chakotay's delight, cookies. "Let's talk about supplies."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thank you very much for the feedback. I'd appreciate knowing if there's anything that doesn't make sense or seems contrary to prior chapters or STV canon and I'd really like to know what folks think about the two central characters. I'm thinking it'll be two, possibly three more chapters. **

* * *

**Time Enough Chapter 4**

"I know it's not fair but I can't seem to make myself stop feeling betrayed."

The Doctor nodded. "It's perfectly normal, Ensign Sato. Your reality is not the same as Ensign Cavanaugh's reality. Our struggle will be to help you understand each other's realities so you can come to a mutual understanding or joint reality, if you will."

"I completely understand Mio's anger," Janice said. "I think I'd feel the same way in her place. I can't change the past, though. I don't know what to do except apologize."

"Why do you feel you should apologize?" The Doctor asked. How convenient of her to bring that up.

"Well, for cheating on her. For giving up on her."

"How can you cheat on someone who's dead? Ensign Cavanaugh, you are trying to impose Ensign Sato's reality onto your actions. I submit that this is as illogical as Ensign Sato viewing her experiences through your circumstances. You did nothing to wrong Ensign Sato and she in turn did not abandon you."

"I know she didn't abandon me," Janice said with a scowl.

Mio raised an eyebrow. "Really? Just like I know you didn't cheat on me? That's working great for me, by the way," she snarked. "Although I think you might be more into being a martyr."

"The hell?!" Janice stood up. "All I did was try to move on. I sucked at it but I tried. Yeah, I feel guilty about it but I know I shouldn't. All I can think about is that I've moved too far for you to catch up and I can't go backwards to meet you." She fell back onto the couch-like chair. "I can't move and you won't."

Finally! The Doctor leaned back. "Ladies, it seems we have come to the crux of the matter. Let's discuss in more detail why you feel Ensign Sato is unable to 'catch up' to you, Ensign Cavanaugh, and why she feels you are reveling in the role of martyr."

Neither woman seemed particularly enthusiastic.

* * *

Janice walked into their quarters to find Mio packing a bag.

"Jan, you're back," Mio said with relief. "I got assigned to an away mission. They've found a planet that might have edible flora and I get to run the on-site analyses."

"Congratulations!" She hugged Mio. "I know you'll do great. When do you have to leave?"

"Pretty much now," Mio sighed. "I was afraid I wouldn't get to say goodbye. If the tests pan out, we'll be spending at least a couple of days on the planet."

"I'll miss you," Janice said. "Be careful and don't spend all your time looking for new kinds of smelly flowers," she said with a chuckle. "Love you."

"Love you too," Mio said and kissed Jan tenderly. "Can't wait to get back. Water the plants!"

Mio grabbed her bag, took a moment for one more kiss, and rushed off to the shuttle bay.

* * *

"It was your idea."

"I seem to recall you agreeing to it," Mio countered. She sighed. "That was excruciating. What were we thinking?"

"Apparently that I'm a cheating martyr and you're inflexible and bitter," Janice replied. "Quite a pair we are." She sipped her tea.

Mio smiled ruefully. "Maybe we should try to get The Doctor to use sock puppets tomorrow. You know, for role-playing."

Janice laughed. "I like it." She held her hands up and in a silly voice while opening and closing the fingers of her right hand, "You're bitter! Stop being bitter!" She moved her left hand and replied, "Am not! You're just a cheating cheater who cheats!"

"You're a nut," Mio laughed. The two of them giggled and made a few more puppet jokes.

Eventually Janice sobered. "I've really missed you. It's been years but now that you're back, it's like you never left."

Mio flashed a lopsided smile. "Feels the same to me." She got up and asked, "Walk me back to my quarters?" She waved at Neelix. "The coffee was great. Have a good night." They dropped off their mugs and headed off.

Neelix smiled. They were laughing together. Surely that was a good sign. The crew had been so excited to find the five of them but seeing them struggling with the ruin of their former lives had been, as Mr. Paris might say, a bummer.

* * *

"Want to come in for a minute?" Mio asked as they reached the door to her quarters.

"Sure," Janice agreed. She hadn't yet been inside Mio's new quarters. She noticed there was nothing personal in the room. She'd offered Mio the things she'd kept after the shuttle's crew had been declared dead. Mio had put off taking anything, giving Janice hope. Or perhaps Mio simply hadn't wanted to take all hope away.

"I'm trying, Jan. The Doctor has really helped me see things more clearly. Even if he's weird." She grinned and stepped in close to Jan. "Thank you for going to see him with me." She kissed Jan tenderly.

Jan wrapped her arms around Mio and pulled her close. She kissed her gently at first then with increasing passion. Janice felt Mio's hands sliding under her tunic.

"Ensign Sato," Mio's comm badge squawked. Mio disengaged awkwardly and answered. Janeway asked her to report to her office the next morning for another debriefing.

"Great," Mio muttered after signing off. She removed her badge and stepped over to set it in an alcove. "Can't wait."

"I wonder if it's about the new duty assignments," Janice speculated. She moved to stand behind Mio and embraced her loosely.

Mio leaned back and moaned appreciatively as Jan kissed her neck. She closed her eyes and let herself picture them in their former couple's quarters. She felt Jan's hands moving over her breasts and felt a small stab of confusion. The hands moved to her stomach and hips. She felt a hand press her breast and another on her upper thigh and suddenly she couldn't breathe.

* * *

Mio trudged dejectedly toward the storage compartment with a pack full of equipment. The planet had been a bust. One tiny enzyme made the flora poisonous. She felt something slam into her back and then her head hit the wall and everything went fuzzy. A hand clamped over her mouth and she was hustled into a storage compartment. She struggled against her attacker and was rewarded with a punch to the side of her head.

By the time she had recovered a gag had been tied around her mouth and her wrists bound. She knew it was Nels but it was still a shock when she saw his face.

"Look what you made me do," Nels growled. "If you hadn't been an uppity bitch, I wouldn't have had to hit you. It's your own fault." He pushed Mio's tunic and undershirt up to reveal her breasts. "They aren't very big," he complained. He spun her so she faced away from him and roughly squeezed her breasts, hard enough to make her eyes water.

"No!" Mio cried out, her voice hopelessly muffled by the gag. Nels pushed her down. He leaned on her torso while yanking her pants down to her knees. Mio's cries grew frantic as she felt Nels force his fingers inside of her.

"Shut up. You know you want it, bitch. I've heard about you. It's a damned shame you never had a real man. Made you sick in the head. This is like a doctor fixing a sick person." He got up on his knees and started undoing his pants.

Mio swung her legs around and kicked hard and fast against the wall. Nels slapped her. "I'll fill your mouth with something better than that rag," he threatened. He thrust his crotch toward her face.

Lieutenant Wilson heard the banging and forced open the locker door. He was momentarily stunned by the sight of Nels prying open Sato's legs. He snapped out of it and grabbed Nels. Wilson wasn't an especially strong man. He was mildly surprised when he lifted Nels up and slammed him face-first into the wall.

The rest of the crew came running. Thompson helped Wilson secure Nels while Hines untied Mio and got her dressed enough to get her to her bunk. Hines got a first aid kit and treated Mio's bruises and scrapes. She could see rising hysteria in Sato's eyes and administered a sedative. As if their position weren't dire enough. A part of her she didn't realize was there contemplated spacing Nels and extending their food supplies that much longer.

* * *

"Captain, I believe I have been sufficiently patient," Seven said as she burst in to Janeway's office. Uninvited, of course. "I require an answer. Do you find me sexually attractive?"

"Won't you come in and have a seat," Janeway said dryly. She gave Seven her best Captain Stare until the woman took a chair. "I'm curious why you would ask me that," Janeway replied.

"I have been considering the dynamics of same-sex attraction," Seven said. "You would be an acceptable partner in such a relationship." To Janeway's surprise, Seven looked uncomfortable. "I have been unable to find an acceptable opposite-sex partner and have begun to wonder if I was not searching the appropriate pool of candidates."

Janeway considered for a moment then said gently, "Seven, I assure you, you are sexually attractive. And I do find you attractive, in that way; however, I find you much more attractive as a friend. I would like for you to think about why you find me an 'acceptable partner.' It's not uncommon for people to confuse love for a friend with sexual love. Since I'm also responsible for liberating you from the Collective, is it possible that your feelings for me are... confused?"

Seven furrowed her brow. "I do not think so, but you raise valid points. I will consider and do more research." Seven stood. "I too value you as a friend and do not wish to damage that relationship. My goal would be to expand the parameters of that relationship."

Janeway smiled as Seven left. She felt a surge of pride. Seven had come so very far. Her smile faded. Research? Whatever had Seven meant by that? Janeway didn't even try to deny the jealousy surging through her.


	5. Chapter 5

**I appreciate all of the feedback and would love to hear more opinions and thoughts. This chapter took a long time to post due to pesky real life stuff. I hope to have Chapter 6 posted in a more timely manner.**

* * *

**Time Enough Chapter 5**

Janice felt Mio twist violently away from her. She took a step back and saw Mio breathing heavily. "I'm sorry," she said, confused. "I thought.. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to push."

Mio saw the hurt in Jan's eyes. "It's not you," she choked out. "It's, well, it's what happened on the shuttle."

Janice felt her blood run cold. All that minimizing Mio had done about whatever had happened with Nels, how she dismissed it as unimportant while Janeway seemed so angry, now it made sense. "Sit down," she said gently. "I'll get you a coffee." She replicated a tea for herself while she was at it. She would want something to do with her hands. Janice sat next to Mio but kept a little space between them.

"Thanks," Mio said as she sipped the coffee. It always tasted better when Neelix made it. Maybe it was that Neelix made it, not a computer. It was a completely inoffensive taste, made to appeal to every coffee drinker. No one disliked it, but then again, no one really liked it all that much either.

"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it," Janice said. "Just tell me what you need."

Mio set her cup down and leaned against Jan. "You," she said quietly. "I need you." She sighed deeply. "It was a little worse than I told you. I really thought I'd put it behind me. When you were holding me and touching me, it all came rushing back. It surprised me, that's all."

Janice set her cup next to Mio's. "Stop acting like it was nothing." She put her arms around Mio.

"I want it to be nothing," Mio whispered. "I want it to be over." She took another deep breath. "Voyager wasn't responding to hails. We'd gone ahead with the mission but the planet was a bust. Everything had an enzyme that was poisonous. We'd decided to just wait for whatever the problem was on Voyager to end. Wilson suspected that it wasn't Voyager but us. So we just stuck to Voyager's side and waited. I was still thinking about ways to neutralize that damned enzyme when Nels slammed me into a wall from behind."

Janice did her best to remain outwardly calm while the tale unfolded. Mio needed her, she reminded herself. As the full details of what Nels had done were revealed, she felt her anger shifting to a new target. How could Janeway allow that man his freedom? He should be locked in the brig or better yet, left to fend for himself on the nearest marginally habitable planet. By the time Mio finished they were both crying and exhausted.

* * *

"Ensign Cavanaugh, would you be available to help me with a research project?"

Janice was a bit taken aback. Seven hadn't even mentioned the project the entire shift. "Yes, Ma'am, I'd be happy to assist." Why not? She could push buttons and watch indicators with the best of them. Besides, Mio was seeing The Doctor. They'd both agreed she needed to talk about the assault with a professional, and the hologram was the closest they had. Rape, she reminded herself. "Assault" made it seem less invasive, less horrific.

"Thank you," Seven said. "I am grateful for your help. Please accompany me to the holodeck. The simulations I wish to run are programmed and ready."

Janice followed along. She had no idea what Seven had planned but then, the woman was insanely brilliant. She hadn't been in the holodeck since her "vacation" with Mio. Perhaps a return trip would be good for them. She made a mental note to take a look at the program and get some time booked.

The holodeck was empty save for a comfortable-looking chair and a small table behind it. "Please sit," Seven said as they approached the chair. "This research is not related to astrometrics. It is related to our earlier discussion. I wish to use your reactions as a baseline for my own. Is this acceptable?"

"Reactions to what?" Janice asked. She sat down anyway. Seven was showing enormous trust in her and she'd not let her down.

"To visual stimuli," Seven said. She placed a few monitoring leads on Janice. "I wish to see how your reactions differ when seeing someone you find sexually desirable and someone in whom you have no sexual interest. I will then compare that data to my own reactions."

"What do you hope to learn from this?"

"I took your advice and asked the person I believe am attracted to if that attraction was returned. I was told to ensure my own feelings were of attraction and not gratitude or friendship. I decided to measure my reactions but realized I would need a baseline."

"This conversation would be a lot less convoluted if you'd just say the Captain's name," Janice griped. Seven wasn't friends with anyone but the Captain. Who else could it be? Seven's face never lit up when she mentioned Chakotay or Tuvok.

"How- well I suppose it does not matter. I would ask that you keep this in confidence, for the Captains sake." Perhaps she should have recruited Roberts for the experiment, Seven reflected. He would never have made the connection. "Please watch and do not attempt to control or analyze your reactions."

The holodeck transformed into a bedroom. Janice fought to control a ferocious eye-roll. A woman in a negligee walked through the door and stopped about a meter in front of Janice. Janice didn't recognize her but she was drop-dead gorgeous. The woman smiled the walked back out the door. A moment later, an equally stunning man in shorts and a tank top repeated the procedure. A surreal parade of men and women followed, varying in age and attractiveness. After a while Janice was more bored than creeped out. Chakotay strolled through and she felt a growing sense of dread. The rest of the ranking officers followed, including Seven. The final model was Mio. It was disturbingly accurate.

"Ma'am, you can't go around using the images of crewmates like this. I can't imagine of them would approve." She pulled off the leads and stood to face Seven. She knew Seven wouldn't understand her anger but this had to stop. "I want you to delete that image of Ensign Sato," she said firmly. "And the rest of the crew."

Seven was pleasantly surprised to see Janice confronting her. Very few of the crew ever did. "I will." She manipulated the input screen on the table. "They have been permanently deleted. I apologize for causing you discomfort. I needed to obtain your reaction to someone you are not just sexually attracted to but someone you love."

"I hope you get useful data but at some point, you're going to have to trust your feelings."

"I agree," Seven said. "I am just not certain I can identify my feelings. They are confusing and although I have been assured I will acquire this skill in time, I am growing impatient. I have some questions about your results."

How much worse could it get? "Yes, Ma'am?"

"It seems that you respond most to women save for a very strong reaction to the fifteenth subject." Seven helpfully called up a picture of a sandy-haired man.

"He reminds me of my brother," Janice replied carefully. Tommy had died at Wolf 359.

"That is enlightening," Seven said. "There were some similarities to your response to Ensign Sato. I feel reasonably confident in labeling that part of your response as love. I also noticed that while you find me sexually attractive, you do not seem to find the Captain desirable."

Janice winced. "It's not that she isn't attractive. It's just that she's my commanding officer. I could never think of her in that manner."

"Is it inappropriate for me to find her desirable?" Seven asked. "The Captain is the leader of this collective."

"I don't think so," Janice said after a moment's consideration. "I'm a minor officer and frankly, I'm only in Starfleet because Seneca-5 isn't open to civilians. You, on the other hand, are not technically in Starfleet and you're acting as a command-level officer. There is very little distance between you and the Captain but for me, light years."

Seven nodded once. "I find your argument to have merit. I appreciate your assistance and your discretion."

"Ma'am, it is my fervent wish that no one ever find out about this."

* * *

"Would you care for some spaghetti?"

"Yes, please," Janice said with a smile. She glanced over at Mio. "Try some. It's really good."

Mio nodded and Neelix soon returned with two plates that bore a passing resemblance to spaghetti. "I made the noodles from marrows and the sauce is made from stewed tomatoes and finished with a selection of root vegetables and herbs. Every ingredient is native to Earth. I hope you enjoy it, Ensign Sato."

Mio smiled. It was all vegetables so how bad could it be? She took a bite. "Who puts cilantro in spaghetti?" she whispered to Jan. Cilantro aside, it was certainly edible. She caught Neelix's eye and gave him a smile and a thumbs-up. "I'm going to see what happened with the hybrid tea bushes I was working on," she mused. "Maybe I can get some basil growing for him."

"Look at you two. Just like nothing happened."

Janice forced a smile. "Hello, Carol. Would you care to join us?"

"Oh, no, I'm sure you have a lot to talk about. A lot to confess."

"I told her," Janice said flatly.

"Nice to see you, Carol," Mio chimed in. "I'm okay with everything. I mean, you all thought we were dead. I'd have to be a raging bitch to be jealous." She smiled, but there was no hiding her irritation. Carol was clearly spoiling for a fight.

"I'm glad to hear you're good with John leaving me," Carol snarled.

"Really, Carol?" Janice sighed. "You know she didn't mean that. Your problems with John are between you two. You made bad choices. So did I, but then, I wasn't the one cheating. Take some damned responsibility for once."

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry about you and John," Mio said quietly.

Carol turned to Mio with a short, humorless laugh. "Look at you, Little Miss Perfect. Jan might have thought you were dead when she cheated, but you, you seduced Nels on that shuttle. To make matters worse, when Wilson stumbled on your tryst, you cried rape. You ruined Nels' life to save face. You're despicable!"

"Ladies, may I get you anything?" Neelix said, positioning himself between Carol and the table. Carol sneered and walked out. "I'm sorry about that," Neelix said quietly. He turned to Mio. "I've heard that she and Crewman Nels were good friends before. Perhaps that friendship has blinded her."

"What she said is a lie," Mio said in a quavering voice. Carol's words felt like another violation. "Dinner was good, but I think I'd like to go back to my quarters."

"Of course, Dear," Neelix said with a pat on Mio's arm. His shoulders slumped as the women walked away. He'd hoped things would settle down for the welcome back party, but it didn't look as if the Captain would be giving clearance for it any time soon.

* * *

"We have to do something about Crewman Nels," Janeway said.

"What's wrong with the brig?" Paris asked.

"Or the airlock," Harry added with a disgusted look.

"Gentlemen," Janeway interrupted. "As momentarily satisfying as it may be to consider spacing Crewman Nels, we are not vigilantes. We will follow Starfleet protocols to the degree possible." She took a breath. She was back in control. "Tom, if we lock Nels in the brig, we have to devote security staff to guard him. Tuvok, do you have men to spare?" Her pause was barely long enough for Tuvok to shake his head before continuing, "I didn't think so. We have to come up with a solution that won't require extra manpower."

"He could remain confined to quarters," B'Elanna ventured. "But honestly, I don't like the idea of him relaxing in his quarters while everyone else is pulling shifts."

"Neither do I," Janeway agreed. "Let's look for a duty assignment that will keep him busy and easily supervised. When not working, he can be confined to quarters. A security lock on the door can replace a guard. Tuvok, can you incorporate escorting Nels from his quarters to his duty shift and back with minimal disruption?"

"Yes, Captain," Tuvok replied. It will require little more than a restructuring of routine patrol routes."

"How about waste reclamation?" Chakotay offered. "He should feel right at home with garbage."

B'Elanna said, "Suit work is exhausting. Let's put him on the hull crew. I can make a few modifications to his suit to make sure he stays in line."

"That has possibilities, B'Elanna" Janeway said. "No lethal modifications. Work up the details and send me your report. All right, on to more pressing matters. Seven, have you found anything promising in your scans?"

Seven recited the relevant data in her typically efficient manner. She felt less than efficient inside. "Fluttery" came to mind, doubtless from one of those novels Ensign Cavanaugh had recommended. She had been monitoring her reactions to everyone in the room. A peek at her tricorder confirmed that her reactions were strongest toward the Captain and while not quite the same as Ensign Cavanaugh's toward Ensign Sato, they certainly indicated a high degree of sexual attraction. She concluded her report with a triumphant smile directed at Janeway.

Janeway raised an eyebrow. There was nothing in that report worth celebrating. "Thank you. B'Elanna, what's the status for Engineering?"


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: The story keeps expanding on me. I thought I'd have finished by now. Anyway, I would really appreciate any comments. Thanks for your continued patience.**

* * *

**Time Enough Chapter 6**

"Mio, let me in," Janice pleaded. The door whooshed open. She hurried inside before Mio could change her mind. "I have no idea why Carol would do that," she said from just inside the door.

Mio turned to face Jan. She felt the tears on her cheek and grew even angrier. "That bitch is raping me all over again to get back at you," she growled. "What were you thinking? Jan, you fucked a married woman. A psychotic married woman."

"A psychotic married woman who holds a grudge," Janice agreed. She held up her arms in frustration. "What do you want me to say? I'm sorry? How many times do you need to hear it?"

"Just fix it!"

Janice sighed in defeat. "I can't. I've tried and tried to make things right with her and with John but he won't forgive her and she won't take responsibility for her own choices. So what do you want me to do?"

Mio sat down heavily and put her face in her hands. "This is a nightmare."

Janice went rigid. "And here I thought I finally woke up." She turned and walked out the the door, ignoring Mio's frantic apologies.

* * *

Seven's hands flew over the console. She had a nagging feeling she should have asked permission first but it was just a program. Yes, it was protected by an easily-defeated encryption, but ultimately it was just data. Data she needed.

As hard as she'd tried, nothing she could come up with was good enough. Seven sighed. She knew she had gained tremendous insight into emotions but she still had so, so far to go. Perhaps she should wait, give herself time to understand these feelings.

She should. She should spend her time studying, not engaging in cyber-theft. She should, but they were too strong, these complicated, frustrating, incredibly enticing feelings coursing through her.

There, she had it set. The program had been good, but there were a few choppy areas. She corrected those and with just a moment's hesitation put the corrections into the original. It was a thank you of sorts for the unauthorized loan. Seven swept the display away. Sometimes she regretted not being able to do the same with her emotions.

* * *

"Jan," Mio hissed, "this is ridiculous. Let me in!" How had they gotten to this point? A short time ago, she was heading off on an away mission. Now, her entire world was crumbling. She didn't think it possible, but this was worse than when that thing flung the ship to the Delta Quadrant.

The door slid open and Mio saw Jan's back. She knew her arms would be crossed and could see the scowl in her mind's eye. A smile briefly flitted across her lips. Jan thought she looked so angry and foreboding when she wore that scowl. It reminded her of a kitten trying to be fierce. It was an opinion she'd wisely kept to herself.

"Jan," she said as she walked far enough inside to allow the door to close, "I'm sorry, I know it isn't your fault. I'm trying to internalize that it's been two years. Ugh," she said, wrinkling her nose. "I sound like The Doctor. I mean, I know it's been a long time. One look at you shows me that. It's not just your hair. Jan, you're different. It's like you've faded." She reached for Jan's shoulder. "Did losing me do that?"

Janice turned to face Mio. "I lost everything to this damned ship. First I lost my career and then, just when it seemed things were good again, I lost the love of my life. So yeah, I haven't been a ray of sunshine since the day you were declared KIA. Now you're back, and I can't express how wonderful that is, but the person you loved is gone. We're still trapped in different times and I can't move backwards to meet you. I feel like I'm losing you all over again and there isn't a damned thing I can do about it."

"Jan, I'm right here," Mio said quietly. She turned Jan around to face her then hugged her so she couldn't see the tears. Jan hated being seen crying. "You're still the person I fell in love with. I just need a little time to catch up to you. I'll try to run faster." Mio felt Jan relax slightly. She buried her hands in Jan's thick hair. "I like it long," she whispered.

"Good, because I worked hard for this little act of rebellion," Jan muttered. Her arms went around Mio. "Don't leave again. I couldn't bear it." She held Mio tightly. It felt just like she remembered. Maybe they weren't so far apart. She kissed Mio's neck and then her lips. Janice felt a sense of healing along with her growing passion. She felt Mio's hands slide under her tunic and smiled. For the moment at least they were in sync.

* * *

"Tom, evasive action," Janeway said. She was inwardly pleased she'd kept her voice even. The ship had come out of nowhere. "Battle stations."

The klaxons went off throughout the ship. Seven hurried from Astrometrics to the Bridge. She had no worries about leaving the lab unattended. The emergency back-up protocol had proven itself effective.

"Another ship, Captain," Harry warned.

"How far to the border of Kretani space?" Janeway groused. "I'd hate to spend more time evading these damned ships than it would take to go around."

"We're about a third of the way through," Chakotay said. "Turning around at this point..." He shrugged. "We can easily outrun them."

"Destroy them" Seven said flatly as she exited the lift. "Refusing to counter-attack makes us appear weak and ensures the attacks will continue."

"She has a point," Chakotay said with a bright smile for Seven. "When they were described to us, I thought of wolves."

"We're not going to lay waste to the Kretani," Janeway said impatiently. "But this will become tiresome. Target their engines. I want them disabled, not destroyed. Only fire if they lock weapons or attempt to block us, clear?"

"Aye-aye," Tom said. "Shall I increase our speed, Ma'am?"

"Yes. Go to Warp 6.5 and hold us there," she directed. The increased speed would suck power, but not at the ruinous rate off speeds Warp 7 and above. They had the reserves to spare and it was worth it to lessen the odds of combat.

* * *

"Damn," Janice muttered as the klaxon sounded. "I have to go." She gave Mio a last kiss and crawled off her. "New protocol," she explained as she reached for her tunic. "You don't have an emergency station yet, right?" Mio shook her head. "Then you need to stay here until the all-clear's sounded. I'll be in Astrometrics."

"I recommend footwear," Mio said with a grin as Jan headed toward the door barefoot. "And, Sweetie, you look a bit, well, groped."

Jan spun around. She took a few breaths then got herself in order. "Thanks." They felt the ship accelerate. "Crap. I'll see you soon. We can pick up where we left off." She flashed a grin and headed out the door.

Mio laughed and, after a moment's consideration, got herself dressed. The ship was at battle stations, after all. She replicated a mug of coffee and called up a file Jan had mentioned. It was the description of the find on Seneca-5 and the cataloging project. It was the reason Jan had joined Starfleet, not to explore the reaches of space but to document the long-dead past. And now she was cataloging star charts.

Mio sighed. She'd been focused on the time she'd lost, but there was no one on Voyager who hadn't experienced crippling losses. She sipped her coffee for a moment then set the cup down a bit harder than strictly necessary. "I'm tired of losing what's important," she said aloud. With a growing resolve, she entered a formal request and hit "send."

"Just try to say no," she growled.

* * *

"Secure from General Quarters." Janeway turned to Paris. "Get some sleep, Tom. You look like hell."

"Begging your pardon, Ma'am, but that's a bit like the pot calling out the kettle," Tom replied with an easy smile.

Janeway rubbed at her burning eyes and sigh. "Fair enough. Chakotay, if you'll be so kind as to transition us to the night watch, I'll go take my own advice." She stood and grimaced as her back popped. Chakotay was placing the call as she left.

Seven watched the Captain go and considered following, but she was overdue for regeneration and the Captain seemed too tired to appreciate company. She made a mental note to access material on back massage. She'd seen the Captain grimace as she stood and heard the popping. Besides, her research indicated that therapeutic massages often transitioned to sexual foreplay. The literature suggested by Ensign Cavanaugh held many such examples.

"Want to get a bite to eat?"

Seven started, knocked out of her reverie by Chakotay's question. "No, I must regenerate." Remembering her lessons with The Doctor she added, "Thank you for asking. Perhaps another time." She did not know what to make of Chakotay's smile.

Paris smirked as Chakotay watched Seven leave. The First Officer was only one of many who lusted after the former drone. He was not one of them. He preferred his romantic partners to have a bit more warmth and a more accessible sense of humor. He found Seven to be cold and dry. Maybe there was more to her underneath, but getting there was more work than he cared to invest. B'Elanna on the other hand...

* * *

Janice came through the door quietly. She'd been in Astrometrics for hours sending updated scans to the bridge. It was tedious more than anything else. She was surprised to see Mio awake and at the computer screen. "Hi. I hope you weren't too bored. That was a pretty long one."

"I was looking at the file on Seneca-5. It's interesting, but I can't figure out what most of it is."

"It helps if you know that the natives seemed to 'see' with a combination of light mostly in the UV area of the spectrum and a form of sonar. At least, that what the native fauna uses. We think. There was some work being done on a filter when I was going through the accelerated program with Starfleet." She leaned over and tapped on the display pad for a bit. The image, which made little sense, morphed into a 3D image of what might have been an avian of some kind. "We think this is how they saw it."

"That at least makes sense," Mio said. I read your paper on using filters to view extraterrestrial art. The examples for Vulcan and Klingon art were pretty convincing. I didn't realize what a difference there was in our eyes. I wondered why there weren't any filtered shots in the Seneca-5 images."

"They were still in development," Jan said. "That paper got me my Starfleet commission. I was supposed to be refining the filters on site," she said wistfully.

"I can see why you got transferred to Astrometrics."

"It beats maintenance." Jan shrugged. "I guess they saw I was to catalogue ancient alien art and assumed I couldn't do anything useful besides push a mop. Some of the Federation personnel got pushed into non-technical jobs so the Maquis could be integrated anyway. If not for Seven helping me with a study program, I'd probably have been rotated back to non-technical, at least for a while." She smiled wryly. "I've done my best to become very useful to Seven. She usually gets what she wants."

"So long as she's only after your mind, I'm all for it," Mio laughed. "You hungry?"

"Yes, but I'm on duty in five hours," Jan said apologetically. "Sleep is higher on my list right now. Maybe a quick breakfast?"

Mio winced. "Yeah, we're on the same schedule now. Breakfast, and a quick one at that. Where shall we meet?"

"How about here? I mean, I can replicate us something while you shower. You left a uniform here the other day. It's clean and in the closet."

"Okay, but we have to sleep. I don't want us to end up running into a star or something."

"And I don't want rosemary tea," Jan countered with a grin. She kissed Mio on the cheek. "Computer, lights to ten percent." The room darkened.

* * *

Janeway sighed and out her book down. She simply could not concentrate, nor could she sleep. She gave up and took a sleeping pill. The Doctor had been reluctant to give them to her and relented only when she promised not to use them more than two nights in a row. She'd broken that promise. Shattered it, really. This was her fifth night. "Dammit, Seven," she muttered. She had been able to control her wandering thoughts well enough until Seven had indicated her interest in a romantic relationship.

Janeway groused to herself while the medication took effect. She would need a whole lot of coffee when she woke up. Pills on top of a short night's rest. "You're pathetic, Kathryn." She drifted off wondering what Seven's partially metal-clad hand would feel like stroking her skin.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: It isn't so much a writer's block as it is a temper fit. I started this chapter quite some time ago and then set it aside while I pouted over the lack of feedback on Chapter 6. I hate to admit it, but reviews matter. The more feedback I get, the more I'm compelled to sit my butt down and write. Anyway, I picked it back up, got it to a starting place, and uploaded what is really more of a mini-chapter. It's a decent place to break for the next section which I hope to be inspired to get written quickly. Yes, that was a hint. :)**

**Thank you for reading and I hope you're enjoying the story!**

* * *

**Time Enough Chapter 7**

"I approved your request."

Janice looked up at Chakotay. "Sir?" She set down the PADD she had been reading and stood at attention.

"Sit, please," he said with a patting motion. "May I join you?" He smiled and sat in the opposite chair. "What are you reading?"

Janice blinked. That bought her a little time so she did it again. "Principles of Gravometric Corrections in Astrometric Charting," she said then sat down herself. It occurred to her that she ought to say more. "It's a text used at Starfleet Academy for advanced astrometrics."

"Is Seven making you study?" He seemed to find the notion amusing.

"No, Sir. It just seems like a good idea. I like my current assignment."

Chakotay laughed. "Excellent. I see why Seven objected when I tried to rotate you. Keep up the good work. I have to admit, I'm a little surprised to see an art archeologist impressing Seven in astrometrics of all places."

Janice tried to suppress a frown. "My post-doc work involved using filters to simulate for humans how other races see or might have seen so we can better understand them through their art. In a way, it's all just measuring light."

Chakotay considered and nodded. "I see your point. I hope you understand that we didn't have the luxury of matching skill sets when we first entered the Delta Quadrant. We looked at specialties and put non-essentials wherever we needed a body."

"I understand, Sir." She did, but not the way Chakotay hoped. "Sir? What request?"

"For double-occupancy quarters," he replied. "Ensign Sato submitted it. You didn't know?" His eyes widened, realizing he may have spoiled a surprise. A good surprise, he hoped.

"Oh, yes, I forgot," Janice lied. She smiled. "Thank you, Sir."

"I actually came in here for some coffee. Can I get you a cup?"

"Tea, please," Janice said. Chakotay seemingly happy about her living with Mio and bring her tea. Could things get any more surreal?

"So how is it working with Seven?" Chakotay asked as he returned and sat back down.

"Fine, Sir," Janice said, suddenly wary. "I enjoy working in Astrometrics and Seven of Nine has been very helpful. I appreciate her patience while learning the post." Not a negative word was coming out of her mouth, no way.

"It's hard to imagine Seven being patient," he said with a whimsical smile. "So," he drawled, "do the two of you ever, well, talk? About things?"

"Sir?"

Chakotay leaned forward. "Jan," he said in a low voice, "may I call you Jan? I need your help. You see, I like Seven, and I think she likes me. It's just that she's not like other women. Since you spend a lot of time with her, I thought you might have some ideas on how to approach her."

Janice blinked a couple of times and then found her most fervent prayers answered when the battle stations klaxon sounded.

"We'll talk later, Jan. Thank you!" Chakotay said with a sincere smile before he rushed off. Janice thanked the gods, or at least the Kretani and then hurried over to Astrometrics.

* * *

Mio smiled as Jan entered her quarters. "I came here when the alarm went off. I hope you don't mind. I— Jan, what's wrong?" Jan was just standing there with the oddest expression.

Janice opened her mouth and closed it a couple of times before she managed to find her voice. "Chakotay just asked me to put a note in Seven's locker."

Mio blinked a few times. As a delaying tactic, it was fairly effective. It did nothing to stimulate brain cells. "Huh?"

"He said he likes Seven and wanted advice on how to ask her on a date. The alarm went off and I ran away. Now I have to figure out if I should warn Seven or just stay out of sight. I guess I could take Jeffries tubes most everywhere and eat here." Jan sighed. "Between Chakotay and Seven's insistence on involving me in their love lives, I'm almost ready to ask for a transfer to third shift in Sanitation."

"It could be worse."

"How?"

"Janeway could be asking you for romantic advice," Mio said with a laugh. "Maybe the Doctor should take you in as a partner. You can specialize in counseling the lovelorn."

Jan groaned. "Don't even joke about it. Oh, speaking of surprises, anything you want to tell me?"

Mio looked confused for a moment then embarrassed. "Chakotay, right. Is it okay? We don't have to if you aren't ready."

Jan closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around Mio. "Yes, it's more than okay."

"Good," Mio sighed into Jan's neck. "Since we'll be living together, how about you stay away from sanitation duty?"

It felt really good to laugh.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I really appreciate the feedback. I hope everyone is enjoying the story even if the chapters are getting shorter. **

* * *

**Time Enough Chapter 8**

"And here it is!" Nelix called out. He was hidden behind a massive sheet cake. Paris ran over and helped place it on a table. It had been decorated with sugar stars and the words "Goodbye Kretani."

"Well done, Nelix," Janeway said. "Okay, we are officially out of Kretani space and back to routine duty schedules." The crew cheered, the most energy many had displayed in days. The constant alerts were draining.

Nelix dished out cake. "Come on, Seven," he cajoled. "Just try it."

"The nutritional value of that food product is negligible," Seven protested.

"Oh, eat the cake," Janeway said the put a forkful in her mouth. "That's delicious, Nelix. Nutritional value be damned."

Seven furrowed her brow. "Very well," she consented. She took the plate and ate a small bite. It was, as expected, overly sweet. There was nothing to recommend a second bite and yet she took one. And another. It felt oddly good. She remembered her research, the reading suggested by Cavanaugh, and recalled a couple of scenes where food was used as a prelude to acts of sexual intimacy. Seven had been baffled by the notion but now felt she may understand it. She filed the information away for later use.

Janeway smirked a bit as she watched Seven eat the cake. The former Borg looked almost orgasmic. Her mind ventured to Seven's face in other possible situations and imagined... Oh, time to stop. "Thank you, Nelix. Everyone, enjoy the party." She smiled and headed out with a purposeful stride calculated to make bit seem she had important business. She did, in fact. A cold shower was first on her agenda.

* * *

Janice and Mio arrived in the cafeteria. They had been in no hurry to get to the party. Arriving late would lessen the odds of running into Seven or Chakotay. Janice breathed a sigh of relief when she saw neither present. She picked up a plate of cake and cup of punch from the table and turned to hand then to Mio. Mio did not seem to notice Janice. Her eyes were locked on a table past Jan at the back of the room. Janice turned and saw Carol sitting very close to Nels.

"Oh, hell no," Janice growled. She set the plate and cup back down and started toward the two.

"Don't," Mio said as she reached for Jan's shoulder. "Can we just leave? Please?"

Jan saw Nels and Carol make eye contact. Carol was smiling nastily. Nels pointed at her, or perhaps at Mio, in "finger gun" fashion and laughed. "Yeah, let's leave." Jan turned and followed Mio out to the corridor.

* * *

"How did it happen?"

Tuvok winced slightly in the face of Janeway's anger. "My investigation has found that the guard assigned to Crewman Nels allowed him to go to the party to meet with a friend. The guard was present and maintains that he kept watch on Crewman Nels the entire time. The guard does not recall seeing Ensigns Cavanaugh or Sato."

"I thought we agreed to have an alarm alert Security if he came near either of them."

"The guard disabled the alarm. He informed me that it was 'a party after all.' I have asked Commander Chakotay to reassign him to another department."

"Good," Janeway said. "Instruct your men to keep him away from those two. If they run into each other, he leaves." She flashed a rueful smile. "I was worried Cavanaugh might come through the vid screen and choke me. I'd rather not do that again."

"Nor this, Captain."

"No, nor this. Thank you, Tuvok. Dismissed."

* * *

"So how are things going?"

"Good," Mio replied to the Doctor. "I'm still having occasional flashbacks."

"How are you dealing with them?"

Mio sighed. "Mostly I'm just working around them. Jan knows not to touch me if I can't see her. Two nights ago, I punched her when she hugged me while we were both asleep. We keep a couple of pillows between us now. When will this stop?"

"In time it will get better," the Doctor said. "I think it might help if I gave you some medication to help you control your fight-or-flight response." He noted Ensign Sato's frown. "It shouldn't impair you in any way. Try it for a couple of days."

"I don't want to have to drug myself to not hurt my girlfriend," Mio said with tears threatening.

"It won't be forever," the Doctor assured her. "Just for a little while. Think of it as an antibiotic for your psyche." He'd have to remember that turn of phrase. He programmed the delivery implant and injected it into Ensign Sato's upper arm. "This is a two week supply. The dosage will automatically lower the last few days. Come immediately if you have any adverse reactions."

Mio thanked the Doctor and hurried away. Maybe she had moved too fast reuniting with Jan. She stepped into the lift and, alone for a moment, released the sob trapped in her throat.

* * *

"Enter," Janeway said, not looking up from the computer readout when the door buzzed.

"I would like your permission to perform an experiment, Captain," Seven said as she strode over to Janeway's desk.

Janeway leaned back in her chair. "Does it involve changing course?"

"My experiment will not require any course change," Seven replied.

"Permission granted."

Seven walked around the desk, leaned down and kissed Janeway full on the lips.

Janeway remembered thinking that Seven had lied to her. Their course had changed quite dramatically.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: I know, I suck. I'll try to be better about updating. On the plus side, I finally figured out how to post from my tablet. Your thoughts on the story are very much appreciated.**

* * *

**Time Enough Chapter 9**

Mio added a little more dirt, patted it down and poured water around the basil seedlings. She felt a wave of contentment working in the hydroponics lab. Everything felt so normal.

She heard something bump against the wall. She didn't recall actually jumping up and running to the far corner of the lab and crouched with her back to the wall brandishing a trowel. She just saw John standing there wide-eyed holding large box.

"Are you okay?" He set the box down and started toward her then stopped. Mio? Mio, are you okay?"

"John. You startled me. I'm sorry."

John stared at her a moment then sighed. Everything was suddenly quite clear to him. "Carol is full of shit." He smiled sadly at her confusion. "She's been saying you lied about Nels. I don't think you did. Not anymore. I'm sorry. And I'm sorry for being a jerk to Jan. Carol's just not who I thought she was."

Mio picked up the tool. "Thank you, John," she said with a composure she did not feel. "I appreciate it. Please excuse me." She stepped around him and walked out. She didn't notice the trowel still in her hand until she was on the lift.

* * *

"I still do not understand," Seven complained. "According to the research materials you suggested, the relaxation after an initial tensing and putting a hand on the side of my face were clear signs of approval. If the Captain approved of my kiss, why did she then tell me to leave?" Her expression grew hurt. "And why has she refused to speak with me about it?"

Janice reminded herself yet again not to roll her eyes or laugh. "Ma'am, perhaps she needs time to think about things. After all, you've been thinking about a relationship for some time now. Her reaction is encouraging but a physical response is not enough. Give her some time," Janice advised.

"Very well. I will give her another day. If she will not talk to me privately, I will talk to her wherever I can."

"I don't think that's a good idea," Janice said carefully. "In fact, it's a very bad idea."

"I require an answer," Seven all but whined.

"And I'm sure you'll get one. Just give her time, Ma'am."

"Very well, I will be content to wait for now." Seven paced back and forth across the astrometrics lab. "Do you think her delay means she does not wish a romantic relationship?" She slapped the console in frustration. "Enough. Ensign, begin mapping grid 365-2J." Seven pretended not to notice the look of relief that flashed across Cavanaugh's face.

* * *

"Happy birthday, Ensign Sato" Nelix said as he set a small cake on the table. The cake was decorated with a few fresh flowers.

"Why thank you, Nelix," Mio said with a genuine smile. "It's beautiful." She wondered where he got the flowers.

Jan smiled at Nelix. "That's really sweet."

"Isn't cake supposed to be sweet?" Nelix replied with a chuckle. "And you're welcome. I hope you enjoy it. I'm so glad to see the two of you smiling."

"Happy birthday, Mio."

Mio turned to see John walking over. The flower mystery was solved. She sensed Jan tensing.

"Jan, it's good to see you," John said. "I'm sorry for missing your birthday the last couple of years. I hope you two have a great day." He smiled again and walked away.

"What just happened?" Jan asked Mio.

"I told you he had a change of heart," Mio said. "Maybe it was seeing how Carol's been acting." She knew John still held some resentment toward Jan but saw no point in bringing it up. Truth be told, she still had a bit of resentment herself. "Please join us," she said to Nelix.

Nelix cut and plated slices of cake for each of them. "Don't mind if I do."

* * *

Seven went through the simulation specs yet again. Someone had accessed it covertly and covered their tracks. Covered them almost as well as she had. She didn't see any changes. Perhaps someone else wanted to use the simulation. It was a good one based on her research.

Seven was offended that someone had accessed Cavanaugh's beach simulation without her permission but, considering she'd done the same thing herself, she could hardly say anything. She tightened up the security protocols and waved the program away. Until Janeway talked to her, the simulation was unnecessary.

* * *

"I don't like it."

"Jan, it's just a short trip to the surface. I'll be back in a couple of days." Mio was more than a little apprehensive about a shuttle mission herself but saying so would only wind Jan up more.

"Can't they send someone else?" Janice knew she was whining but she felt like she had left her stomach was about five lightyears back when Mio announced the away mission.

Mio stopped packing and put her hands on Jan's shoulders. "Sweetie, I begged off the last two missions. I need to go. I need to go because this is my work and because I can't stay afraid forever. Please understand. I need you to not make this any harder."

Janice slumped. "I'm sorry. I know I'm being hysterical. I'm just, well, I couldn't take it if anything happened to you. Promise me you won't take any unnecessay risks."

"I will. And you promise not to mope around worrying while I'm gone." Mio leaned in and kissed Jan. "Love you."

"Love you too." She sighed. "Go on, finish packing. We'll have a nice dinner when you get back. You can tell me all about the weird flowers you find."

"I'm hoping for edible grains and roots myself," Mio laughed. "Fruit if we're lucky. Nelix is all hot to make fruit smoothies now that he's managed a decent yogurt."

"Go find something yummy." Jan hugged Mio tightly. "And damn it, be careful." She sat on the bed and tried her hardest to look supportive while Mio finished packing.

They embraced again and Mio took off for the shuttle bay. Back in their quarters, Jan poured herself a large beaker of distilled spirits. She knew she would pay for the indulgence but synthehol wouldn't numb her the way the moonshine would. It was technically against regs but so long as consumption didn't interfere with duty, security turned a blind eye to the homemade stills. After a few shots she stopped noticing the feeling of dread. A couple more and she stopped noticing anything.

* * *

Seven frowned. "Ensign, the coordinates."

Janice fought down another wave of nausea. "Yes Ma'am, right away, Ma'am." Her stomach continued to protest but it didn't concern her. No, Janice was far more concerned with the headache that spiked with every sound, every movement, every flashing light. She focused and managed to complete the data transfer.

"You do not seem well," Seven observed. "Are you ill?"

"No, Ma'am," Janice replied quickly. Being ill meant a trip to sickbay and that meant a hangover diagnosis. While she was sure The Doctor could ease her symptoms in a flash, there would be reports made and Security would get involved. "I'm fine. Just a restless night. Ensign Sato is on an away mission."

Seven narrowed her eyes but simply nodded. "I am confident Ensign Sato will return unharmed at the appointed time. Please initiate a level 4 diagnostic scan once the remaining sector scans are complete. I will be on the Bridge."

Janice collapsed in her chair after Seven left. The scans were routine and did not require much attention. She ordered the lights dimmed, set the scans, and settled down with a mug of honey-laced tea. All in all, it was still better than brooding about Mio.

* * *

Janeway felt her face go warm when Seven strolled onto the Bridge. She chided herself for acting like a silly teen. "Hello, Seven." She found it easier if she cdid not look directly at the former drone. "We have good news. Most of the fauna is edible. We'll be beaming down transport containers shortly." Janeway winced. She was babbling.

"The non-synthetic nutrients will be welcome," Seven replied. Not so much by her but it seemed an appropriate response. Seven positioned herself so she could observe Janeway and waited patiently. This was quite interesting.

Janeway pretended to read several reports and otherwise made herself appear busy. She saw Seven studying her out of the corner of her eye. Damn. She would have to resolve this. She must shut this foolishness down. A romantic relationship with Seven was simply not possible. Janeway didn't even like women that way! That Seven starred in the sexiest dreams she'd ever had didn't mean anything. That she could not stop replaying that kiss...

Janeway stood. "Chakotay, you have the bridge. I'll be in Sickbay. I feel a cold coming on." Janeway swore she saw Seven smirking as she left.


End file.
